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Chapter 5: Rebirth of a Star
Bestowing of the Gifts of Nestael For a time, Nestael's spirit resides within Saris Morian, the dwarven healer. The group decides to head for the Caldera and then Dunston to warn the people there of what is coming. Before they depart the place where Nestael was rescued, she bestows blessings on them. Klale is given great strength beyond that which mortal men may achieve. Ano is given speed swifter than even the birds that fly. Ourn is given agility not even the elfs of old could match. Phineas is given invulnerability. Toben is granted access to a new school of spells called Biomancy. The Caldera The group travels back toward the Caldera. It is a simple trip, rapid and without incident. However, two days out, things change. There is a column of smoke in the distance. The pace is increased, but it is not enough. By the time the group arrives, it is far too late. Trees are scorched, many burned to the ground. Corpses lie everywhere. Emaciated and frail, the people at the Caldera stood no chance against whatever did this. There are a few healthy bodies among them, all males. Faelorn identifies them as his men, though they don't have the grafting any more. It looks like they fought to protect the people, a last redemption before death took them. There are no dead attackers. They were either cleared from the field or none died. Whatever they were, their weapons were designed to cause maximum damage. Serrated swords, wickedly spiked clubs, claws, teeth. The monsters that came through here were large and savage. Xar identifies them as Valaraukar weapons. The trees that line the Caldera remain untouched, but there is an unnaturalness to them now, a warping that makes them look more than sickly. They look twisted, evil somehow. A few survivors and a group of mercenaries local to the area are also present on the far side. They agree to take Faelorn into custody to stand trial in a town similar to Dunston further north. Faelorn offers full cooperation and is marched off on foot. Dunston - Basarshakath, Dischord of Body Arriving in the town of Dunston in order to warn its people, the group finds the town completely empty. It seems an orderly evacuation has already occurred, though there is no information on how they were warned or managed to leave. Not long after arriving, the group is beset by the Valaraukar force including two mountain trolls and an enormous Vastidon. The battle is fierce, but the Valaraukar drop one by one. Near the end, only the Vastidon remains. At one point it lunges at Ourn ready to swallow him whole, but out of nowhere, a larger Kornari arrives and breathes a huge gout of flame into the Vastidon's maw. The whelp then attacks severely damaging the monster before it flops over on it's back, crushing Kornari underneath. The Vastidon is dead, but Kornari is severely injured. Saris seems in a coma of sorts and cannot help. Suddenly, everyone loses their blessings from Nestael. It is then that Basarshakath, the Dischord of Body arrives. Nestael is only able to grant one of the heroes a blessing at a time during the battle, but it is enough to defeat him. During the fight, the Dark Star makes some kind of plea and is powered by something else. He grows beastly and powerful. Toben directs a shrinking spell at Basarshakath, but it is deflected and hits Phineas. Basarshakath scopes up the tiny youth and swallows him then starts towards Ourn. Just before he kills him, Xar drops out of nowhere with two very long knives and runs the Maiar through. The Maiar is able to maneuver so that Xar is facing him and embraces the dwarf, empaling him on his own blades buried in the Maiar's chest. Eventually, though, the group is able to defeat the Dischord who runs off rather than be destroyed. The group mourns the loss of Phineas but Saris is able to heal Xar enough that he could survive. However, her own power is waning fast and Saris is dying. She cannot hold the power of the Maiar's spirit within her for much longer. The Farm Once Basarshakath is fled, Ceven walks out of the mists of the battle to offer information and advice. He speaks of Melkor and the horror wrought by the fallen Ainur, of Manwe and the Valar, and the power that mortals have to defeat the ancient evil. At the farm, Nestael's spirit leaves Saris and heads into Hattie, or rather into the child she bears from the rape by her husband, Faelorn. The dwarves heal and Hattie wakes eventually while the others rest up and wait. Klale spends time forging a new sword, one of magic and power as part of his gift from Ceven. After Saris wakens and is back to normal, Toben discovers that Phin is not food for a Maia after all, but is tiny and has been riding Ferb the whole time. Toben is also able to communicate with Xar during a dream state, but also runs into another of the Dischords, this one of Mind. After a struggle, Xar is freed mentally. Mairen shows up before Nestael is reborn and offers to help. However, she does not have her son. She almost kills Nestael when the child is born, but cannot go through with it. Instead, she explains that another Dischord, that of Fire, has her son and demanded that Mairen do what she could not. Then, Saris stabs the baby under the control of the Dischord of mind. Thankfully, the knife shatters against the baby's hardened skin thanks to the Maia's power and Saris is released. Nestael, Nessy now, heals Xar's physical wounds and he wakes. Hattie is also fully healed and there is joy all around save for the darkness lingering from Mairen's son, Meruan's, situation. Despite her being a dwarf, Nessy blesses Saris with her permanent blessing and the group is ready to go after Meruan. Continue to Chapter 6: Return to the Duchies. Story Chapters Prologue: The Legacy of Men Chapter 1: Song of the Earth Chapter 2: Digging up the Dwarves Chapter 3: Dark Hearts * Chapter 3.1: Ourn's Story Chapter 4: Dying Forever Chapter 5: Rebirth of a Star Chapter 6: Return to the Duchies * Chapter 6.4: A Bard's Tale (Ryland's Story) Chapter 7: Tempest of Fire * Chapter 7.1: Rise of a Paladin (Galad's Story)